Saturday, March 31, 2012

It is sooooo nice outside here in Kansas. Although we've had A LOT of rain the past two weeks, we have also been VERY spoiled with some gorgeous weather (when it's not raining). It might surprise you to know that I haven't been outside once today. I have looked longingly out the windows at the rest of the neighbors outside playing and doing yard work (ok, I'm not longingly looking at the ones doing yard work) BUT I am jealous of everyone that is enjoying the weather. I (+my three kids,-one husband) am trapped in my house due to this beautiful weather. Huh?!?!?The only negative to this gorgeous weather is that my son has allergies. Awful allergies. So bad that he we can't go outside. His eyes start itching really bad and then they start swelling up, along with his throat. Let's just say he becomes one hot mess. So much so that I kept him home from school yesterday. I couldn't stand the thought of him going outside for recess and having this horrible reaction to whatever it is that is blooming and causing our family to go into hiding.
Anyways, since being trapped inside with my kids isn't crazy enough, I thought I would finish up the question and statement sort that I have been working on. I really only had a few more things I wanted to add which should have taken me maybe twenty minutes, but with my three helpers, it has taken more like three hours...YIKES! If you are interested in grabbing our "Question or Statement?" freebie, click here

Friday, March 30, 2012

Friday has got to be my favorite day of the work week! I love my job, but with two little bitties at home I live for the weekends. I think I enjoy Fridays with my school kiddos even more because I know that at 4:00 I am heading home to love on my babies for a whole weekend. Even better, it is a consignment sale weekend here! I love a good bargain! My mom and I stay away until the 1/2 price day and then shop till we drop for things the girls need would be adorable in!
On a school note, I talked with our first grade teachers yesterday and asked them to tell me some freebies they would like to see on the blog. (Did I mention I have a student teacher and therefor a lot of free time right now??) Here is the first of their requests! (They are doing a camping/outdoor theme at the end of the year so these math fact cards go along with that!)
click here for the fishin time addition math match

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

After being spoiled with more beautiful weather, we are back to rain..yuck! This isn't exactly the best time to be having indoor recess since our third thru fifth graders are taking their state assessments. We use our school library, which is open to the whole school, as a testing area. You guys know how hard it is to keep kiddos quiet in the halls, but during indoor recess?!?!?! Did I mention that our rooms are right off the library? Did I also mention that our wet area/restrooms are right next to the library? We just love yelling quietly reminding the kids who are using the restroom to shut zip their lips while they take care of business. Hey, a teachers gotta do what a teachers gotta do.
Anyways, in honor of these fantastic assessments that have basically caused the primary grades to be in "lock down" mode, we thought that we would share some assessment notes that kindergarten and first grade classes could use. Click hereassessment notes and here assessment notes for the first grade notes. Click hereassessment notes-K and here assessment notes2- K for the kindergarten notes.

Monday, March 26, 2012

It is amazing what a sunny weekend can do for your disposition! We spent A LOT of time outdoors this weekend!
My girls are almost 10 months old and have ALWAYS loved the outdoors. We would bundle them up in the fall and sit on the deck with them when they were tiny and they would spend forever just watching the trees, clouds, barking dog next door, people on the jogging tail, etc.
Since the weather was so absolutey gorgeous I packed up the double jogging stroller (which is only used for walking by me!!),the girls, and my lab and we headed out for a good long walk. Rylan fell fast asleep and Brylee "chatted" to me, the birds, the trail, and herself the entire time!
Soooo...now we are back to another work week, but....the sun is still shining! Outdoor recess and kiddos who played outside all weekend are a good combination in second grade.
Another reason I am glad to be in second grade right now is that we DON'T do testing. Thank goodness!!! I don't envy our upper grades their stress at this time of year. Our school always does testing buddies and in second grade this year we have all been assigned a 5th grade classroom to encourage. So with all my extra time (thank you student teacher!) I took some time to spiffy up some testing notes my friend Jenn had made back in the day.

I thought I would share in case you have some testing buddies you need to encourage too! Click here for the testing notes: testing notesand click here:testing notesOur principal buys treats for each of the testing days. I think you can figure it out pretty easily but we add a tootsie roll, smartie,starburst, pencil,or piece of gum to each of the notes.
We also like to write a note of encouragment for the first day (great way to practice a friendly letter!). Click here if you would like the letter format that Katie whipped up:Assessment letter

Thursday, March 22, 2012

The bad news is that it is still raining on and off and we can't go outside for recess. The good news is that we found some really cute clip art from http://www.lovetwoteach.com/, we are finishing up geometry in math, and I have a student teacher! The student teacher = time for Lisen to make some things that we wish we had at the beginning of the geometry unit! Here is a shape match that we hope you can use! Just a quick way to see what shapes the kiddos are already familiar with before starting the unit!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Rain, rain go away! Indoor recess does not make my day! I know that we actually really need the rain, but indoor recess all week does not make me happy!! This is our first week back from spring break and after a week of running and playing we have now told our kiddos they must spend recess playing in their classrooms! Indoor recess always starts out fine (the novelty of it, and all) but always ends up with tattling and injuries if it goes on for too many days. It looks like I might have to dig out my tub of old craft supplies and let the kiddos go crazy during recess with tons of cutting, gluing, taping, etc. Since the kiddos have already told me 10 times today that it is supposed to rain all week this might be the only way to hold down the fort!